SEC and Big 12 have had limited discussions about potential partnership

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The SEC has engaged in limited dialogue with the Big 12 about a partnership that includes regular-season football scheduling, SEC Executive Associate Commissioner Mark Womack said today.

"That's a situation we would keep an open mind on, but we haven't had a lot of significant discussions at this point," Womack said. "There's a lot of different ways that could work. At this point, we're continuing to move forward with scheduling the conference as we've planned."

The American-Statesman reported the Pac-12 is presumed to be one of those conferences because of its geographical challenges to expand. Another is the SEC, which teamed with the Big 12 recently to create a lucrative Sugar Bowl matchup within the future playoff structure.

Womack said a challenge series with another conference would be difficult because most SEC schools need seven home games and some teams play traditional rivals in nonconference games.

"The only advantage I think you find is you have an opportunity to create a nonconference schedule that could be attractive," Womack said. "But there would be a lot of issues on how you would play that out as it relates to the issues you face with your existing schedule."

The Pac-12 and Big Ten tried a scheduling partnership in multiple sports to stem the movement in conference expansion. That deal fell through. The Big Ten has since added Rutgers and Maryland and may not be done.

The Big 12 has expressed satisfaction at 10 members. Bowlsby told The American-Statesman that a partnership between the Big 12 and other leagues would include football and basketball, but could expand to other sports. The agreement could involve bowl participation and sharing postseason inventory to create more flexibility for better matchups.

"It's purely exploratory," Bowlsby told The American-Statesman.

Current bowl agreements expire after the 2013 season. The 2014 season will usher in a new postseason, including a four-team playoff in which participants are decided by a selection committee. Strength of schedule is supposed to be an important criteria.

Womack said the SEC has no timetable on completing its 2014 schedule and beyond "but the sooner the better." The SEC "at this point" continues to plan for an eight-game league schedule, but nine games "is probably something that will always be out there to look at," Womack said.

Womack said the next SEC scheduling model will likely be for four to six years, far less than the 10 to 12 years the league used to use. "Given the state of everything, we'd probably look at a shorter term," he said.

The SEC remains in renegotiation discussions with CBS and ESPN since adding Texas A&M and Missouri. The conference is expected to launch its own television network.

The SEC's television partners are most interested in dividing conference games evenly throughout the season to have quality inventory, Womack said.

"Scheduling is probably pretty difficult for everybody to figure out with all the issues facing people," he said.